Door check



y March 4, 1958 T. c. RICHMOND nooR CHECK Filed neo,

IN V EN TOR. .m0/W45 C l Q/cHMo/D BY United- States Patent Doon CHECKThomas C. Richmond, Huntsburg, Ohio Application December 15, 1955,Serial No. 553,381 l 11 Claims. (ci. 292-343) This applicationrelatessto adjustable wedge devices, especially door checks or thevlike,for securing against movement devices such as doors. having edges movingalong a surfacey perpendicular tothe .Aline of motion so that the doormay be secured by driving ya wedge between the edge thereof andthelioor. y t

"An object of the Ainvention yis to provide an adjustable- Ataper wedgewith means for bringing wedge surfaces into parallelismj l VA furtherlobject of the invention is to present a hat, horizontal wedging surfaceto the edge of the door, or the like, to be secured in position and toavoid damage `thereof by wedging against a corner or an edge thereof.Another object of the invention is to provide means for quickly changingthe taper angle of a wedge.

Still another object of the invention is to enable such means forchanging the taper angle of the wedge to be employed in a door checkdesigned for fitting between the yfloor and the door edge to secure the'door in position. t t

Still another object.v of the invention isy to provide a door-checkwedge adjustable inmaximumheight and taper for accommodating both ,doorswith Very small clearance and with relatively large clearance betweenthe edge. of the door and the door. l

Other and further objects, `features and advantages ol' th'efinventionwill become apparent as the description proceeds.

In carrying out the invention in accordance with a preferredfOrm'the're'O, aldoor check is provided .comprising a pair-of stampingsor plates secured together pivotally at one end and provided with atreadle actuated eccentric or `camat the other end for enabling tbedoorche'cleto be placed under a door and havethetaper angle `increased bystepping on the extending treadle to cause 4 Still another object of theinvention is to provide an adjustable wedge' With`.leveling sole platespivoted to the wedge 'to' provide fhorizontalbearing surfaces. .for theunder.' edge of a door to be secured in place,

j betterunderstanding. of the invention will be alorded by thefollowingldetailed description considered in conjunctionlwith thefaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figlis a viervfofja longitudinal verticalsection of a 4doknr checkoradjustabl'ewedge constituting an embodinient' of my'inventjion';,V i t'jFig.'2 is a planview'of the device of Fig. l;

"Fig 3 is a viewin elevation of the narrow or apex endet the adjustablewedge ofiFig. 1,*represented as sen Vlooking intherdirection of thearrows 3 3 indi- "cat-ed'y infFig. 'ely'tliowedge-parts being-spread tothe maximum taper or maximum angle between the parts;

l4'iis""'afviewv corresponding to Figs 3 withgthe tradle'liftedandithe'adjustablewedge "collapsed to the imininium taperorminimumanglelbetween v he wedge 'pgI-tstdio La; ifo .3.1.11

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View of the device of Figs.

`11 and a wedge plate 12. They are joined at one end by pivot means 13.Preferably one plate is longer than the other and a cam, preferably inthe form of an eccentric-circle cam 14, is-pivotally mounted in bearingmeans 15`formed inthe shorter plate, for example the plate 12, andhaving a cam surface 16 adapted to bear against va confronting surface17 of the longer plate, in this case theliloor platelll. By rotation ofthe eccenytric .cam 14, in one direction, the unpivoted endsy of theplates liland 12 may be spread and by rotation of the cam '14 in theopposite direction the plates may be collapsed.

Preferably, the cam 14 is formed with a treadle 18 so that theadjustable wedge may be pushed under the lower edge 19 of a movablemember such as a door 21, movable `parallel to a surface 22, such as afloor on which the floor plate 11 rests, andthe wedge plate 12 maybe'lifted under the door edge 19 to secure the door, by stepping-on thetreadle 18. Y

Inorder to provide a better bearing surface for more securely holdingthe door 21and to avoid marring the face23 thereof bydenting the corner24 between the face 23 and the lower edge 19, the wedge plate 12 ispreferably provide-d with a plurality of leveling plates 25 pivotallysecured thereto. As illustrated, each of the leveling plates 25 isprovided with a pivot or mounting pin 26 fastened in a suitable bearingportion formed in the wedgeplate 12. .The detailed construction will beexplained more fully hereinafter.

For the sake of simplicity, inexpensiveness and ease of manufacture andassembly, the pivot means 13` preferably takes the form of a pair oflugs or tabs 27 extending from the left hand end of the floor plate 11,near the sides thereof as shown, and bent around to form hollowcylindrical bearings 23 l for 'receiving journals formed in theend ofthe wedge plate 12.A The wedge plate 12, in turn, has a pair of oblongopenings 29 punched therein so as to leave end portions or integralstrip parts 31 adapted to fit within the hollow cylindrical bearings 28to serve as journals. It will be understood that yin assembling theplates 11 and 12, the tabs 27 are bent around by a suitable tool so asto enter the oblong openings 29.

Preferably, the door plate 11 and the wedge plate 12v are in the form ofsheet metal stampings, U shaped in cross section, eachwith a iiat webportion joining a. pair of triangular angesmto form a tapered flangechannel. As illustrated more clearly in Fig. 5, the floor plate 11comprises a web portion 32 with channel-forming flanges 33 tapering fromzero width at the triangle apex 34 indicated in Fig. l to a maximumwidth toward the unpivoted end 35 of the plate 11, as indicated moreclearly in Figs. 3 and 4. The wedge plate likewise comprises a webportion 36 joining a pair of channel forming flanges'. Preferably theflanges 33 and 37 are both upturned with the lower surface of the web 32of the oor plate 11 resting upon a horizontal surface 22, such as thefloor, and the wedge plate 12 is narrower vthan the floor plate .11 sothat the plate 12 may nest within the floor plate 11 with the partscollapsed to the minimum wedge angle 'or taper.

As illustrated in Fig. l, the flange 33 may be cut away alongthefrearedge line 33 sothat the maximum width of the flange 33 occurs ata point 39 to the left of the .bearing for the cam 14. Moreover,`preferably the flange 37 of the wedge plate 12 extends beyond theunpivoted end 41 of the Wedge plate 12 so as to form two projecting ears42 in which openings may be punched or drilled to form the bearings 15for receiving a pin 43 rotatably mounting the earn 1.4.

Eachr of the leveling plates is a metal stamping U shaped in cross'section and comprises a web portion 44 from which extend downwardly apair of ears 45, the ,leveling plate 25 being of such width that ears 45fit loosely between the wedge plate flanges 37. The lears 45 are spaceda short distance from the lower end or edge 46 of each of the levelingplates 25, as seen in Fig. l. For pivotallysecuring each leveling plate25 tothe wedge plate 12, the pivot pins 26 are provided, extendingthrough ,the ears 45 and Vthe wedge plate flanges 37, as illustrated inFig. 5. Each of the leveling plates 25 is provided with a lip 48downwardly offset, as illustrated inFig. l. The space between the pivotpins 26 in relation to the overhang of the edges 46 a'nd the distancefrom the lip 48 to the pivot pin 26 is such that each lip 48 fits underthe overhanging edge 46 of the adjacent leveling plate to limit .theupward movement of the llip 4S and permit all of the leveling plates 25to be aligned along a straight line when none of them is deflecteddownward.

Preferably the eccentric cam 14 and treadle 18 are formed as an integralunit consisting of a sheet metal stamping with a web portion 49 joininga pair of flange portions 51 formed as shown in Fig. l with curvededges, with a substantially circular portion forming the pair of camsurfaces 16 lying adjacent the floor plate flanges 33. Openings aredrilled or punched in the' flange portions 51 eccentric with respect tothe circular cam surfaces V16, as shown, to receive the mounting pin 43.As illustrated, the pins 26 and 43 are staked upset or peened over atthe ends to secure them in position.

Preferably means are provided for biasing the wedge plate 12 downwardtoward the floor plate 11 so as to permit the plate 12 to liesubstantially fiat upon the floor plate 11 when the treadle 18 is kickedup to release the cam 14. Contraction spring means may be used for thispurpose comprising a hairpin type of wire spring 52 having a wire arm 53secured to the floor plate 11 and wire arm 54 engaging the wedge plate12. Wire arms 53 and 54 are joined by a coil spring 55 so bent as todraw the wire arms 53 and 54 together.

As illustrated, the spring arm 53 is secured to the floor plate 11 bystriking up a tab 56 under which the arm 53 fits tightly and vbendingthe end 57 of the wire arm 53 under a second tab 53 struck up from thefloor plate 11. For enabling the arm 54 to engage the wedge plate 12, anopening 59 is cut near the end 41 of the arm .12, through which the arm54 extends. Theupper end 61 of the arm 54 is preferably bent downward tobear downward against the upper surface 62 of the web 36 of the wedgeplate 12. i

The leveling plates 25 on the other hand are preferably biased to theupward position withV the lips 48 pressing upward against the edges 46of the adjacent leveling plates. This may be accomplished by suitablemeans such as expansion springs in the form of wire hairpin springshaving coil spring portions y63 with arms 64 and 65 normally spreadapart by the coil spring portion 63, theV coil springs 63 being fittedaround the pivot pms 26 and the arms 64 and 65 pressing downward agalnstthe web 36 of the wedge plate 12 and upward against the leveling plates25, respectively.

In order to secure a moving member such as a door 21 without denting thecorner 24 and without necessitating the use of wedges of different sizesfor doors 21 having their lower edges 19 of different heights from thefloor plane 22, the adjustable wedge or door check illustrated in thedrawing is employed. In order `to accommodate a door with an edge 19relatively low, the door ycheckisrflrst set with-.the treadle 18.in..theupward `position illustrated in Fig. 4, shown in dotted lines in Fig. l,so as to bring the uppermost of the leveling plates 25 to the lowerposition as illustrated in Fig. 4. The door check is then slipped underthe door as far as it will go, the upturned treadle 18 serving to limitmotion in case the edge 19 is high enough to permit the entire collapsedwedge to pass under the edge 19. Thereupon the treadle 19 is turneddownward by stepping upon it, which lifts the wedgeplate 19 around thepivot means 13 and causes whichever one of the leveling plates 25 may beunder the door edge 19 to rise against the edge 19. The reactingthrustof the edge 19 bears downward against the leveling plate 25 inquestion, compressing the expansion spring .63 and causing the levelingplate 25 to take a horizontal position under the door 21, as illustratedin Fig. l. It will be apparent, therefore, that the entire upward thrustis against the plane surface at the lower edge 19 of the door 21 so thatthere is no tendency to dent the corner l24. Moreover, any tendency forwedging action to cause the wedge to slip out from under the door or thedoor to slip Aoff the wedge is overcome.

Nevertheless, if desired, friction coating material may be applied toeither the under surface or the upper surface of the adjustable wedge,namely either to the under surface of the web 32 of the floor plate 11or to the upper surface of each of the leveling plates 25, or, ifdesired, to both surfaces. As illustrated in the drawing, strips 66 ofrubber, plastic, or other suitable material having corrugated uppersurfaces 67 are cemented to the upper surface of the leveling plates 25,thus serving as a further protection to the under surface or edge 19 ofthe door 21 and assuring a secure friction grip even though the floorplate 11 may 4rest upon a carpet or other surface upon which it slidesreadily. It will be understood that if the door check is to be usedprimarily on highly polished wax floors which it may be desired toprotect'from scratching or scraping, resilient corrugated rubber,plastic or like material may be applied instead to the lower surface ofthe floor plate 11.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principleof Aoperation of the invention has been described together with theapparatus now believed to represent the best embodiment thereof, but itis .to be understood that the apparatus shown and described is onlyillustrative and that the invention may be carried out by otherarangements.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesof America is:

l. A door check comprising in combination a channeled floor plate havingfirst and second ends and flanges tapering from a minimum width at thefirst end to a maximum width toward the lsecond end, a wedge platehaving rst and second ends with flanges tapering from a minimum width atthe first end to a maximum width toward the second end, the plates beingpivotally secured yto each other at their first ends, an eccentric cam(mounted between the flanges of one of the plates at the y second endthereof, withv a cam surface lbearing against the other plate betweenthe flanges theerof, with a treadle plate extending from said cam lfrombetween said anges for rotating the c arn to spread the plates at theirtwo ends to form a wedge, and a plurality of leveling plates each havingears bent therefrom and spaced a'di'startce less thanthe space'betweenthe flanges of the wedge plate, pivot pins extending through 'saidflanges" and Asaid ears `for pivotally securing each lof the levelingplates to the wedge plate for providing a level surface abutment to theunderside of the door, or the like, under vwhich the door check may beplaced for securing said door against movement.

2. A door check as in claim 1, wherein the flanges of the -floor .plateand the wedge plate are upturned, the wedge plate is narrower than thefloor plate with the flanges thereof resting within the flanges of thefloor portions each with curved edge and an ott-,center hole to form aneccentric cam, and a pivot pin passing through the said cam holes andthrough the anges at the second end of one of the plates whereby thevcam is pivotally mounted and the curved surface thereof bears againstthe other plate at the end thereof for 'spreading the said second endsof said cam plate and said oor plate by rotation of said eccentric camsurface around the cam mounting pin.

4. A door check comprising incombination a, door plate having rst andsecond ends, a wedge plate having i `1 rst and second ends, pivoted atthe rst end to the iirst end of the oor plate, an eccentric cam mountedat the second end of one plate with a cam surface bearing against theother plate at the second end thereof with a projecting treadle forrotating the cam to spread the plates at their second ends to form awedge, and a plurality of leveling plates pivoted to the Wedge plate atspaced points along the length thereof to turn about parallel axesparalleling the pivot axis, each leveling plate being formed to provideindependently of the other leveling plates a level surface abutment tothe under edge of a door, or the like, under which the door check may beplaced for securing such door against movement.

5. A door check device comprising in combination lloor engaging andcheck members, means pivotally connecting one end of the check member tothe floor member, a plurality of leveling plates disposed along a linenormal to the pivot axis of the check member, means individuallymounting the leveling plates on the check member for tilting movementsabout spaced axes parallel to one another and to said pivot axis, thedevice being receivable between the bottom of a door and a iloor andadapted, upon raising of the other end of the check member, to move theleveling plates upwardly in unison whereby one of the leveling plates isengaged against the underside of the door bottom, the tilt mount of suchone leveling plate allowing the latter to bear atwise against the doorbottom, and means at the other end of the check member and actuatable toreact against and spread the embers in effecting such raising of thecheck member and forcing the engaged leveling plate strongly against thebottom of such door.

6. A door check device comprising in combination floor engaging andcheck members, means pivotally connecting one end of the check member tothe floor member, a plurality of leveling plates disposed along a linenormal to the pivot axis of the check member, means individuallymounting the leveling plates on the check member for tilting movementsabout spaced axes parallel to one another and to said pivot axis, thedevice being receivable between the bottom of a door and a floor andadapted, upon raising of the other end of the check member, to move theleveling plates upwardly in unison whereby one of the leveling plates isengaged against the underside of the door bottom, the tilt mount of suchone leveling plate allowing the latter to bear atwise against the doorbottom, spring means acting between the members and biasing the checkmember toward the iloor member, and means at the other end of the checkmember and actuatable to react against and spread the members ineiecting such raising of the check member and forcing the engagedleveling plate strongly against the bottom of such door.

7. A door check device comprising in combination door engaging and checkmembers, means pivotally connecting one end of the check member to thedoor member, a plurality of levelingplates disposed along va line normalto the pivot axis of the check member, means individually mounting theleveling plates on the check member for tilting movements about spacedaxes parallel to one another and to said pivot axis, the device beingreceivable between the bottom ofv a door and a door and adapted, uponraising of the other end of the check member, to move the levelingplates upwardly in unison whereby one of the leveling plates is engaged,against the underside of the door bottom, the tilt mount of such oneleveling plate allowing the latter to bear flatwise against the doorbottom, each leveling plate having a front edge toward and a rear edgeremote from the pivot axis, spring means acting between the checkmemberV and the individual leveling plates and biasing the tilting ofthe latter to move the rear edges of such plates away from the checkmember, and means at the other end of the check member and actuatable toreact against and spread the members in eecting such raising of thecheck member and forcing the engaged leveling plate strongly against thebottom of such door.

8. A door check device comprising in combination floor engaging andcheck members, means pivotally connecting one end of the check member tothe oor member, a plurality of leveling plates disposed along a linenormal to the pivot axis of the check member, means individuallymounting the leveling plates on the check member for tilting movementsabout spaced axes parallel to one another and to said pivot axis, thedevice being receivable between the bottom of a door and a iioor andadapted, upon raising of the other end of the check member, to move theleveling plates upwardly in unison whereby one or the leveling plates isengaged against the underside of the door bottom, the tilt mount of suchone leveling plate allowing the latter to bear atwise against the doorbottom, each leveling plate having a front edge toward and a rear edgeremote from the pivot axis, spring means acting between the check memberand the individual leveling plates and biasing the tilting of the latterto move the rear edges of such plates away from the check member, springmeans acting between the members and biasing the check member toward thefloor member, and means at the other end of the check member andactuatable to react against and spread the members in effecting suchraising of the check member and forcing the engaged leveling platestrongly against the bottom of such door.

9. A door check device comprising in combination loor engaging and checkmembers, means pivotally connecting one end of the check` member to theoor member, a plurality of leveling plates disposed along a line normalto the pivot axis of the check member, means individually mounting theleveling plates on the check member for tilting movements about spacedaxes parallel to one another and to said pivot axis, the device beingreceivable between the bottom of a door and a oor and adapted, uponraising of the other end of the check member, to move the levelingplates upwardly in unison whereby one of the leveling plates is engagedagainst the underside or" the door bottom, the tilt mount of such oneleveling plate allowing the latter to bear latwise against the doorbottom, each leveling plate having a front edge toward and a rear edgeremote from the pivot axis, spring means acting between the check memberand the individual leveling plates and biasing the tilting of the latterto move the rear edges of such plates away from the check member, thefront edge of each leveling plate overlapping the rear edge of the nextadjacent leveling plate toward the pivot axis to limit the tiltingmovement of such adjacent plate, whereby the leveling plates arenormally disposed substantially in a continuous line, and means at theother end of the check member and actuatable to react against and spreadthe members in effecting such raising of the check member and forcingthe engaged leveling plate strongly against the bottom of such door.

10. A door check device comprising a floor engaging member, a checkmember having a front end formed with atplurality of ,elongated slotsdisposed in spaced relation along a common line, the door member havinga front endformed with a plurality of upturned reversely curved ltabsconstituting a rounded hollow entering end structure ,on the device,said tabs being received through the elongated slots of the check memberin the provision of a hinged joint between the members with the frontend of the check member disposed inside the hollow end structure, andmeans at the other end of the check member and actuatable to reactagainst and spread the members in effecting such raising of the checkmember and forcing Athe engaged leveling plate strongly against thebottom of such door.

11. A door check device comprising in combination oor engaging and checkmembers, means pivotally com necting one end of the check member to thefloor member7 v 'said members being channel shaped in section, eachhaving a web and a pair of spaced substantially parallel flanges, theflanges extending along substantially the en- 8 l tire lengths of therespective members, the flanges of one member being disposed between andguided by the ilanges of the other member, and an eccentric and meansmounting it between the anges of one of the members forA relative rotarymovement about an axis paralleling the pivot axis of the check memberand to bear against the web of the other member between the flanges ofthe latter in spreading the members to expand the device to reactstrongly against a door bottom and a floor between which it isV placed.

References Cited in the ileof this patcnt UNITED STATES PATENTS 110,985Lugrin Jan. 17, 1871 171,807 Hoffman Jan. 4, 1876 177,102 Daniels May 9,1876 589,359 Lowry Aug. 31, 1897 701,431 Watts June 3, 1902 943,791Russell Dec. 21, 1909 1,369,462 Olson Feb. 22, 1921

